A Sacrifice for Love

A/N Just want to thank everyone for their reviews!! It keeps me going.
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When Hermione had knocked on Professor Snape’s door, she had not expected him to answer it half dressed. She had seen him wearing the black silk pants before but now that she was not a spirit, it was different.

“About time! I have questions for... you...” he had said, as if expecting someone other than herself. He stared at her for just a moment before slamming the door in her face. She immediately began knocking again. A few moments later, he answered, this time wearing his robes. His face was dark.

“This had better be good, Miss Granger.” He growled as he stepped out into the hallway. He was not about to let her into his private quarters. She nodded and looked up and down the hall. He abruptly had a feeling she was going to say something he did not want to hear.

“I need to speak with you, immediately. It is very urgent.” She said. He glared down at her, suddenly realizing how short she was. It was not something he usually noticed and he wondered why he was noticing now.

“Then speak. Do not assume I am going to allow you entrance to my personal quarters.” She flinched slightly at the coldness in his voice and at the warm feeling it sent to the bottom of her belly.

“You owe me your life, Professor. I just need to know that you will do me a favor, when the time comes.” She mumbled, looking down. Snape was not quite sure he had heard her correctly until she met his eyes. She looked as if she expected him to fly into a rage, but he knew she was correct. He did owe his life to her. It had been an unselfish act on her part and he knew somehow he had to pay her back.

He nodded curtly and disappeared into his own rooms again. She sighed in relief and leaned against the wall. It had gone better than she had expected. She just dreaded when the time came for the ‘favor’ she had planned.

“Breaking the rules already, Granger?” said a familiar drawl and Hermione turned to find a familiar face.

“Malfoy.” She greeted warily. Despite what she had seen as a spirit, she was still wary. Six years of abuse at his hands did not disappear overnight.

He smirked. “Where are Potty and the Weasel?” he asked. She studied him for a moment. He looked vaguely uncomfortable under her gaze.

“Harry and Ron are likely in the Gryffindor common room. Do you need them?”

He frowned and looked away. “You saved my life more than once in the Last Battle. I owe you, so if you need anything, let me know” he said abruptly before turning and walking away. He felt uncomfortable in her presence. She watched him walk down the hall a bit before running after him.

“Malfoy! Wait up.” She saw him turn with a surprised look on his face. Obviously he had not expected her need anything so soon.

When she reached him, he raised an eyebrow and gave her a bored look. “Throwing yourself at Professor Snape and now running after me? Death has changed you, hasn’t it?” he said dryly. He was surprised when she laughed.

“Well what can I say? Slytherins have a certain dangerous appeal” she flirted. She was awarded by the look on his face. His mouth dropped open and he looked stunned. She laughed again. “I’m kidding, Draco, I’m kidding. I do need something from you. I wasn’t sure how to ask but since you so kindly offered your services...”

He gave her a wary look and she could just imagine what he was thinking. She rolled her eyes. Boys and their hormones! she thought. Sex was all they could think about. What bothered her the most was the way he was now looking at her. He looked her up and down as if considering taking her to bed.

“Not sex, Malfoy! I need access to your common room, but I need to be there alone. Can you help me?” she practically growled. He smirked at her.

“Are you sure that is all you want? I might to be able to oblige you with something else. I am quite experienced in... obliging.” he said, his voice softening into a sexy drawl.

The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them and she knew she was damned. “There is only one person who could oblige me and that would be impossible since he is a teacher”

His eyes widened and he looked past her to the door he had found her. “Are you serious? You want Professor Snape? Is that why you saved him? Because you love him?” he asked incredulously. She turned to look behind her, half afraid Snape was there and when she turned back to Draco, he was laughing.

“That is good, Granger. More than good. I would never have known...”

She punched him. This time, instead of the nose, it hit him in the jaw and he fell back. He stared up at her in surprise, not laughing, but his blue eyes still shown with amusement. “You still hit like a girl, Granger” he teased climbing to his feet.

She sighed and he turned serious. “It wouldn’t work you know. My godfather is not one who can deal with relationships I think. He doesn’t have the temperament for it. He would break your heart, if you tired. I don’t think he likes you or Potter or Weasley that much.” He said gravely.

She nodded and wondered how much she could trust him with. He was a very intelligent wizard, she knew, almost on par with herself. He may be able to help her if he knew about the potion and he would likely keep her secrets. She decided to give it a chance.

“The potion he used to wake me was called a Snow White potion. You do know the story, don’t you?” she asked quietly.

He gave her a bored look. “Witch falls asleep, wizard saves her with a potion, and witch falls in... love... Is that what this is? You, are in love with Snape because of a potion? Where did he get the potion? Was he aware of the side effects?” he asked, becoming excited.

She shook her head, mostly to get him to shut up. “I can explain later but here is not the place. I need privacy and your promise not to tell anyone.”

He smirked at her, the familiar hated smirk that she wanted to slap off of his face. “You just want to get me alone.” He said. She didn’t respond and he seemed to finally understand that this was not a laughing matter, at least for her and nodded.

“The Slytherin common room then. I can get them all to leave, easily. C’mon.” She followed him through the dungeon halls to a painting.

“Insensitivity” he said to the painting and it swung open. There were not many Slytherins in the common room but every one of them stopped what they were doing and stared at Draco’s companion in dismay. Hermione lifted her chin a bit and Draco bit back a smile. It took one brave Gryffindor to brave the Slytherins in their lair.

“Out! I want to be alone.” He said. Most of the Slytherins immediately stood and went to their respective dorms. A few moved a little slower and one did not move at all. Pansy Parkinson sat, glaring at Draco and Hermione.

“If you think I am going to leave you two alone in here-“ she started but Hermione held up her hand and Pansy stopped talking. Draco hid a smile and wished that worked for him.

“I don’t have any designs on Draco at all. I need his help with a potion but it has to be a secret. I would include you if I could but not even Harry and Ron know. I will swear a Wizard’s Oath if you want me to.” Hermione said, looking Pansy in the eyes.

Pansy looked away. “No, I... I will trust you.” she said with difficulty. Her hand crept up to her sore cheek and she looked at Draco. She did not want to lose him. He gave her a small smile and she smiled back. She turned and walked up the stairs to her room.

Draco turned and faced Hermione. “So what is this big secret?” he asked. She shushed him and placed a silence spell on the room. She told him about the potion Snape had given her, that it was unknown and the side effects it had. She said she did not think Snape knew or he would have waited to find something else.

When she said that, Draco felt some doubt creep up in his mind. He had not seen his godfather so... obsessed with someone or something (in this case waking Hermione). If he had known, he would have still used it, but likely had someone else administer the potion.

She continued to tell him what she had found in her research, which was all in all, nothing. She said she knew of a secret journal hidden if this common room that may have all the answers she needed.

Draco was somewhat surprised, not that there would be a secret here but how Hermione knew of it. He even said so and had the pleasure of watching her blush and stutter. She was not a very good liar.

“I uh... found reference to it in a... book in the... Library.” He raised a disbelieving eyebrow but did not call her out on her obvious lie. He smirked. She would have enough problems with her attraction to Snape.

“If you know where it is, get it. Obviously since I did not know of it, I cannot lay claim to it. If it will help you, you can have it... as long as it doesn’t belong to one of the Slytherin’s ancestors because then it would be rightfully theirs.” Draco warned. He did not understand the smile that crossed her lips.

“Don’t worry, Malfoy. She died when she was a teen and since she was muggleborn, it isn’t likely her family is around.” She quipped. His head jerked back as if he had been slapped.

“There have never been any muggleborn in Slytherin.” He stated firmly. She smiled and nodded. “Sure, Malfoy, don’t believe me. When this is over and done with, ask your godfather. He knew her personally.”

Draco still did not believe her but he did not want to argue with her. It was good that they had gotten on well enough; he did not want to end it so soon. He watched as she walked around the room. Several times she glanced at the ceiling as if judging where she was.

“So what to Potter and Weasley think about your... attraction.” He asked curiously. She gave him a startled glance.

“They don’t know yet and I don’t want them too. I just need to find a cure. I saved his life and he woke me. They have trouble dealing with that much. You just don’t understand how much they hate him.” She said, continuing her search.

Finally she stopped and ran her hands over the wall. There were not any lines or open spaces but she felt this was the right place. She took out her wand. “occultus animus” she cried and flicked her wand.

For a moment nothing happened. Then light began to shine in the shape of a square and a small door opened. Hermione and Draco both gaped at it. Hermione had not been sure it would be there and Draco hadn’t believed Hermione had known what she was talking about. He should have known better he thought as he shook his head.

Hermione reached in and pulled out a thick book. She flipped through it to find it had been filled with notes, spells and potions. She squealed with delight and Draco shook his head.

“Has a book ever made you come? I wouldn’t be surprised if you said yes.” He commented. She just rolled her eyes. She moved to a table and sat the book down. It was so close. If she could just find the spell she would be free of the inappropriate thoughts about her Potions Professor.

“Invenio Snow White” she commanded with a wave of her wand. Nothing happened. She tried again. Again still, nothing happened. She looked up at Draco, who was frowning.

“Maybe it has spells that will prevent that one from working.” He said thoughtfully. She brightened and opened to the book. Remembering a certain potion she closed it.

“Invenio Potion of Delight!” she said waving her wand. The book flipped open to the page she had found the potion. She gave him a horrified look. Either the potion was not in the book or it was hidden with a spell.

Draco moved to where she was sitting and put his arm around her to comfort her. “It is possible it has another name. I mean...” he looked at her helplessly. She hid her face in his robes and began to laugh. If this were not the most awful, awkward experience in her six years at Hogwarts.

A potion makes her fall for Professor Snape, she must find him someone to make him happy and now she was being comforted by the biggest prat in the whole school, though she would have to admit it was possible he had changed. She threw her head back and laughed almost hysterically. Draco still held her, but his eyes were wide and he wondered if all that studying had finally caught up to her and she had gone insane.

Unfortunately her laughter was infectious and he began to laugh with her. Soon they were both holding on to each other and laughing uncontrollably. That was how the Slytherin Head of House and two Gryffindors found them a few moments later.

Snape, Harry and Ron could only stare at the laughing couple in horror. Realizing they had an audience only made them laugh harder. Ron and Harry did not know what to think of the situation. They had tentatively decided to give Draco another chance and so it seems, had Hermione.

Snape was another matter. Seeing Miss Granger in Malfoy’s embrace brought up emotions he did not dare to look at because he feared he knew what they already were. He was afraid the gnawing in his gut could also be called jealousy.

Snape’s dark scowl finally made them stop laughing.